The “Teenage Dream” nickname may no longer apply, but Chase Hooper made a name for himself in a different way in his UFC debut.
Hooper, 20, improved to 9-0-1 as a pro in his first Octagon appearance with a commanding TKO win over Daniel Teymur at UFC 245 on Saturday in Las Vegas.
In what was a grappler vs. striker matchup, it was Hooper who imposed his will on Teymur, closing the distance and forcing him to wrestle against the cage. While Teymur had some success shrugging Hooper off early on, Hooper eventually managed to take his back and threaten with a rear-naked choke that Teymur gamely defended against.
However, Hooper maintained his control and wound up in a dominant position, wrapping Teymur up in a triangle choke and punching away until referee Jason Herzog was forced to wave off the out with less than 30 seconds remaining in the first round.
Hooper is currently the youngest fighter on the UFC roster. The featherweight prospect earned a developmental contract on the second season of Dana White’s Contender Series and then went 2-0-1 on the regional scene before getting the call to fight Teymur.
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